According to the National Council on Aging, one out of 10 elderly Americans are abused. The Council estimates that as many as 5 million people aged 60 years and older suffer annually. What’s more frightening is only one in 14 incidents are reported, and many of these incidents happen at the hands of nursing home professionals, people with whom you entrusted your loved one. If you notice any of the following, you need a personal injury attorney in Houston. Emotional Abuse If your loved one is acting frightened or out of sorts, it may be a sign he or she is being abused. Emotional abuse is common in elder care. A caregiver may harass or intimidate a person in an effort to get him or her to do something. Verbally assaulting a patient is also considered emotional abuse, as it threatening a patient, no matter how miniscule the threat. Neglect Neglect is another form of elder abuse, and this could be minor or serious in nature. It’s best to discuss your concerns about neglect with a personal injury attorney in Houston to determine if there is legal cause for concern. If a caregiver is failing to provide necessities or willfully withholding them from the patient, this may be construed as neglect. Physical Abuse Physical abuse can be any number of things. An elder who is being confined unnecessarily, beaten or sexually assaulted is suffering physical abuse. If you begin to notice bruises or other marks, open wounds, your elder is suddenly “falling and hurting himself” or anything else suspicious, it’s best to seek professional guidance. In a perfect world, the nursing home in which you placed your loved one treats her like a queen, but this is not a perfect world. This is why a personal injury attorney in Houston fights so hard against elder abuse. Harming the helpless is inexcusable. Harming the helpless after taking a vow of care is even worse.
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